How I found out I earned $950/hr on a project

If you aren't tracking your time, you aren't running your business properly

Author

Diana Kelly Levey
August 10, 2025 • Estimated Reading Time: 10 minutes

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A lot of writers have a strong stance on “hourly rates,” and many won’t touch them with a 10’ pole. When you see hate on hourly rates posted online, you should still know that those freelancers are (hopefully) tracking their clients’ hourly rates.

They might be quoting project work, but they are also factoring in a specific number of hours.

Earlier this year, I earned $950 an hour on a big two-month project I worked on.

Did the client know they paid me that?

Nope.

We agreed upon what the work would be and a flat project rate. It turned out, I got the two-month project work done in about 21 hours.

And yes, they were happy with the work.

Recently, I started working with a new client, and it felt like the assignments were taking a long time (sometimes, they just feel that way even if they aren’t).

That’s why I turn on my Togg.l desktop software and track when I start and stop work for specific clients.

When I looked at the time I was spending on this new client and understood that I was getting paid about $2,800 for two assignments, I realized it was tracking to be a nice freelance hourly rate.

I expect the two assignments to take about eight hours of work, clocking in at a $350 an hour rate. Even if it takes an extra two hours with edits, I’m still working on a nice $280/hour freelance rate.

Not mad about that.

If you don’t track your time, you don’t know how long a project takes you. Sure, there may be 10 minutes here and there you’re forgetting to account for, but overall, knowing how much you’re earning per hour for each client helps you decide if you want to keep working for them again.

A few years ago, I had a client who would give me a big project that took two to three months and it happened two to three times a year. I’ll be honest, about a one-third of the time I worked on that project, it felt like UGH.

But then, I looked back at my Togg.l hours for the client and realized I was averaging $400 an hour for this client when I worked on the project. It helped reframe the work, made it feel more rewarding (suck it up, buttercup), and made it easier for me to say yes when the client would ask me to work on it again.

Facts over feelings, friends.

I’ve also had at least three ongoing anchor clients over the past three years that required hourly rates. It’s how their corporate structure worked.

This is why you need to know the value you bring to clients, what your “ideal freelance hourly rate is,” and understand the lowest hourly rate you’re willing to accept (whether that’s a number the client knows about or it’s your internal hourly rate).

If I quoted a client a nearly $1,000 hourly rate, I’m pretty sure they would have balked. Or, they would be afraid the project is going to cost $100,000 if I dawdle. By doing project work and meeting their deadlines, they didn’t care if it took me two hours or 200 hours. They knew what they were going to pay in the end and that’s what mattered, in addition to a great project.

Be prepared to leave some work on the table if a client doesn’t want to pay your hourly rate and the volume isn’t worth it to you. Remember, you’re leaving space in your calendar (and mental load) for a better, high-paying client to come along.

This is the kind of advice I’ve shared with freelance course students in my course “How to earn $100 an hour (or more) freelance writing” — now only $97.

You’ll get:

📌 Lifetime access to 12 lessons on how to raise your freelance rates

📌 5 Bonus resources valued at over $25

📌 Ability to follow the lessons on the Teachable app and learn on the go

📌 Educational resources, scripts, and templates for a great price that you can write off on your taxes

Freelance creative Ben Reisman said, This course provides a great, specific roadmap of how to determine pricing. The examples Diana provides in the course are great for learning how to select better-paying clients, picking up more work with existing clients, and maximize payout in some cases by charging by project instead of an hourly rate.

Freelance copywriter and website creator Jessica Moon had this to say: “Diana gives lots of specific, actionable strategies to find higher-paying clients that value what you do. This course gets right to the point which is perfect for freelancers who don't have time to waste! The LinkedIn lesson was one of my favorites.”

Hint: Earn one $100-an hour freelance assignment and you’ll make back the money you spent on the course.

Hope I see you inside. Get started today!

Diana

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